Pencil



Reiuea Dee 16,1924.

UNITED STATES Re. 15,968 PATENT, OFFICE.

JAm WABING, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB., BY MESNE ASSIGN- mTS, TO THE WAHL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF PENCIL.

riflnal No. 1,490,204, dated September 26, 1922, Serial No. 448,318, led February 28, 1921. Application for reissue led September 13, 1924. Serial No. 737,570.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. WARINo, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Milwaukee, count of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, ave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pencils, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to improvements in pencils of the retillable type and among the objects of my invention are to provide a pencil of this type which is durable, efficient and positive in operation; which provides ballclutches for ositively feeding the lead forwardly throug the tip of the pencil and for positively holding or locking the lead from substantial recessional movement; which rovides a pair of ball clutches the balls o which are normally arranged so as not to press with maximum pressure or locking contact against the lead, together u ith `means for automaticallyy and alternate-l moving the balls into lockin contact wit the lead either to feed the lea forwardly or to prevent its substantial recessional movement; to provide va pencil having a channel for the lead extending therethrough toether with ball clutches capable of acting irectly upon the lead and (zo-operative ball Ioperatlng mechanism for positively locking the balls against the sides of the lead forv feeding the lead forwardly step by step or for preventing recessional movement, whereb the usual plunger-feed for the lead is e iminated and continuous automatic feeding of a lon lead or a succession of shorter 1leads throug the feed channel is made possible; to provide a pencil having a continuous channel for the lead, and` upper and lower ball clutches for positively gripping or releasing the sides of lthe lead together with meansoperable from the rear end of the pencil for automatically causing the balls to move into maximum gripping or locked engagement with the lead during forward feeding and automatic means cooperating with said feeding means for causing the balls to move into maximum gripping contact or positive locked engagement with the lead to prevent substantial recessional movement thereof; to provide a. pencil having a channel for the lead, anda pair of hall clutches communicating therewith so as to be in position to be positively moved from a position out of locking contact with the lead into such a locking contact position, together with means for causing the longitudinal movement of the lead to cause the locking engagement of the balls with the lead or the shifting of the balls out of such locking engagement; to provide a pencil having a lead channel and a pair of cooperating ball clutches, each of which clutches includes a tapered contact face for the ball whereby the ball is caused to lockingly grip the lead or to be released therefrom; to provide these and other objects of invention which will be 'hereinafter made apparent from a perusal of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. l is an elevational View of the nvention, with parts broken away and in section to more clearly illustrate the novel points of construction, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View through the lead rejecting clutch, taken on the line 2-2 of igure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral l designatcs an outer casin provided with a tapered end 2 having irtted therein by any suitable method, a lead guide 3, provided with a central recess to. permit the lead L to pass therethrough. Disposed within the casing 1 adjacent its tapered end 2, is a clutch housing 4, provided with inwardly turned fianges 5- adapted to retain a pair of ball clutchesv C and C which respectively project and hold the lead against retraction.

The clutch C comprises an annular ring 6 slidable within the housing 4 and provided with a tapered ball engaging surface, and a central opening Z which permits the ring to be mounted upon the end of a lead vhousing 8'. This lead housing 8 preferably extends longitudinally of the pencil and towards the rear end thereof.

Surrounding the lead and disposed within the annular ring 6, are a plurality of gripping balls B, which are retained in their place by a ball retainer 9.

The clutch C opposes the clutch C and functions to prevent the retraction or recessional movement of the lead L. It is similarly constructed. This clutch C is likewise provided withI an' annular slidable ring 6' and a ball retainer 9 having ra recess 11 to larged end 13 is a cap 15 adapted to engageL ly into positive locking,

receive the lead guide 3,'whereby the ball rerearward, ori inal position such as shown tainer 9' of the clutch C is stationary. Disin Figure 1. wing to the fact that the balls posed between the annular ring 6 of the" B of the clutch C are lockingly grippin the clutch C and the ball retainer 9 of the clutch lead there is a tendency Ifor these bal s to C, is a spring 10 adapted to render yboth 'frictionally adhere to the lead and hence to clutches operative. This spring has an adcarry the lead backwardly in a sort of reditional function of returning the clutch C cessional movement withl the clutch C as the to its normal position after the lead has clutch moves rearwardly under the action been projected. of thisA spring 10. This produces a slight The open end of the casin 1 of the pencil rearward or recessional movement of the is provided with a collar 11, aving a central lead L, and immediately this rearward orifice to permit the lead'housingS to extend movement is set up the lead tends to drag therethrough. Fitted over the end of the the balls B of the clutch C toward the rear casing and abutting the annular flange 1 is and force theminto the narrower portion of a sleeve l2 provided with an enlarged end the annular ring 6' of the clutch C and since 13, which end is turned inwardly to provide ring 6 is spring pressed into contact with aretaining bead 14. Confined within the enthese balls, the balls will be forced inwardgripping engageand operate the lead housing 8. This cap ment with the lead. This prevents an furhas its movement limited in one direction by' ther recessional movement'of the lead At the bead 14 and in the opposite direction by the same time the annular ring 6 of the the shoulder 16 formed between the sleeve clutch C is continuing to return under the and the enlarged end 13.

In the operation of myimproved pencil it this upper clutch tend to frictionally adhere is manifest that after removing the end cap to the now positively held lead L the taper- 12, either a single lon lead L or a succesing inner surfaces of the annular ring 6 will sion of shorter leads lg, one following after continue to` movel` upwardly and will release the other, can be inserted through the end jthe locking engagement between this annular of this lead housing 8. Upon depressing the ring 6 and the balls B so that there will be cap 15 the housing 8 pushes forward the anno further gripping between the clutch C nular ring 6 rigid on the end thereof so that and the lead L,-that is there will be no action of the spring 10 andas the balls B of its inner tapered wall'of ring 6 tends to move further feeding grip until the next depres- Wall of the annular ring 6, the balls at the sure be placed on the Y ring 6 whic the Vballs B inwardly into locking, grippin sion of the cap 15.v engagement with the lead LQ This inwar It is manifest that the clutchl C also movement of. the balls is assisted by the refunctions to prevent the substantial recesaction'of the spring 10 pressing against thev sional movement of the lead L during the ball retainer 9. Continued inward moveact of writing. For instance when writin ment of the cap 15, presses the annular ring pressure is put upon the tip of the lead 6 and the balls B, which now are in locking it tends to create a recessional movement of engagement with the lead L, so that the lead the lead, and this recessional movement as L is necessarily fed forwardly, During this before described operates to roll or drag the forward feedin'g' the spring 10 is compressed balls B. rearwardly towards Ithe rear end of l and tends to move forwardly the annular the pencil and wedge them into the narrowring 6 of therclutch C. However, due to ing portion of the annular rin 6 `of the the forward feeding of the lead L the balls clutch C and thus lock these Abal s into posi- B of the clutch C which are` contacting tive gripping engagement with the lead C to with the` lead, tend to move forwardly also prevent further substantial recessional with the lead, and due to the downwardl movement of the lead L. This action takes tapering surface of the upper face of the ba l place under the ordinary writing pressure. retainer 9 and the outwardly tapering inner It is manifest that if greater writing pressame time tend to move'outwardly. Hence both the balls B', grippin ly locked into the forward' feeding movement or the leald contalct with the lead, and the annular ring L shifts the balls outwardly away from the 6', w1ll be forced rearwardly by this exceslead and no positive locking contact of the sive rearivardpressureon the lead L, the balls on the lead arises so that the lead is balls Band the annular ring 6 moving as free to feed forwardly. During this slight a unit, which rearward movement tends to outward xliovement of the balls B. they push compress the springV l0 and force the ana ainst t e g permits the outwardjmovewardly against the balls B` of the clutch C ment of the balls. In addition further and thus Wedge them point of the lead L,-

1gradually enlarging walls -of nular ball retainer 9 of the clutch C rearl into the narrower porldownward, movement of the ball retainer 6' is checked.l Upon the completion of the forl ward depression of the Acap 15 is released and the spring 1 0 ,returns the clutch C to its of the flanges 5 of the housin 4 from further rearward movement, the urther recessional movement o'f the lead L is positively and absolutely stopped. In most cases'the writing pressure of the lead L 1s not suicient to bring into play the locking functlon of the u per clutch C so that only the lower clutch operates to hold the lead L from recessional movement durin writing.

While I have shown an described one specific method of car ing out my present invention it will be un erstood that various ing and said lead guide.

changes in minor details of construction are contemplated.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by letters Patent is 1. In a pencila casing, means movable within the casing` for projecting the lead, a sleeve fitted upon one end of the casing and provided with an enlarged end, and a cap movable within the enlarged end of the sleeve and limited by said sleeve so as not to move beyond the end of said sleeve, said cap being operable for actuating said-lead projecting means.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of lead, a lead housing, a ring rigid therewith and having ball engaging surfaces, a group of balls, a ball retainer, a second ring, a second group of balls, said ring having ball en aging surfaces, a spring contacting with sai second ring and said re- Atainer, a second ball retainer, a lead guide rigid therewith, a housing for said spring, said rings, said balls, and said retainers limiting the movement of said first mentioned ring, and a casin enveloping said lead housing, said secon mentioned hous- 3. In a pencil having'a tip, a set of gripping devices in said pencil means for operatlng said gri pin devices to cause them to grip the lea 'an feed it through the tip, a second set of grip ing devices, means permitting said second set of ipping devices to be automatically releaseT from sa'id lead on said lead feeding movement and to cause said second set of gri ping'devices to automatically grip said ead on a recessional movement of said lead.

4. In a pencil having a lead conduit therein, upper and lower set of balls in said pencil and communicating with said conduit and means for causing said upper set of balls'to move into grippin contact with said lead and feed it forwar and means including a tapered wall for permitting said lower set of balls to move away from said lead to permit its feed, saidy second means bein constructed and arranged -to cause sa'id ower set of balls to move into gripping .contact with said lead on recessional movement of said lead.

5. In a pencil, means forming a lead conof said forward duit therethrough, `two sets of balls, each Y set being normally out of locking contact with the lead in said conduit, and means for movingone set of balls into locked contact with the lead to feed it forward and for moving the other set of balls into locked contact with said lead upon the termination l feed to prevent the recession of said lead.

6. `In a pencil7 means forming a leadV conduit therethrough, a set of balls, means for operating said balls to cause them to grip the lead and fed it through the tip, a second set of balls, means permitting the automatic release of' contacting pressure of said second set of balls on said lead on said feedingmovement said means causing said second balls to automatically increase their contacting pressure on said lead on a recessional movement of said lead.

7. In a pencil, means forming a lead conduit therethrough, a set of balls normally 'out of substantial gripping contact with the lead in said conduit and means constructed and arranged to be moved in one direction to cause the set of balls to grip said lead and feed it forwardly an'd means to shift. said first mentioned means rearwardly and o ause the release of said balls from said 8. In a pencil, means therein forming a lead conduit, two sets of balls spaced apart therein and communicating with said conduit, a-first member havinvr a tapering wall adapted to engage the balls of one 0f said sets, a second member having a tapering wall adapted to engage the balls of the other set, and means causing said first set 0f balls and said first mentioned member to move relatively to cause said balls to grip the lead to advance it, said other set of balls and said second member being constructed and arranged to move relativel to cause said other set of balls to move into ocking contact with ai lead on a recessional movement of said ea 9.I In a pencil means forming a lead conduit therein, a pair of ball clutches arranged therein with the balls communicatin with said conduit and said balls being shlftable both longitudinally and transversely of the lead in saidy conduit, means for manually shifting one of said clutches to cause the balls to lock to and feed the lead forwardly .and means to return said clutch, said second feedingy one of said clutches forwardly, means causing the balls thereof togrip the lead to feed the same through the conduit, means to return said clutch to normal osi'- tion and cause the balls thereof'to v ease Vfrom said lead, means for causing. the balls of said second clutch to move into substantial grippingcont-act with said lead o n the return of said first clutch to thereby prevent lsubdstant-ial recessional movement of said 11. In a pencil, a casing having an opening at one end for the insertion of a lead, and a tip atthe other end for the projection "of lead therethrough, means ormmg a continous lead conduit from said open end to said tip, spaced apart sets of balls disposed in said casing in communication with said conduit and normally arran ed out of sub- "stantial gripping contact with the lead in said conduit, and means for shifting one setof balls forwardly and to cause said balls to substantially grip the lead to-project the lead through the tm and to thereafter retudinally arranged lead channel communicating with said tip, a set of gripping members in said pencil, means for operating said members to cause them to move toward said lead channel to cause the lead to be fed therethrough, a second set of gripping members, means f permitting saidv second set of gripping members to move away from said lead channel during said lead feeding move` 40 ment and to cause said second set of gripping members to automatically move toward said lead channel on'a recessional movement of said lead.'

Signed at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this 6th day of September, 1924.

JAMES H. WARING. 

